Using a Motor Vehicle without Insurance (Section 143 Road Traffic Act 1988)

Using a Motor Vehicle without Insurance is an offence under s.143 Road Traffic Act 1988. A person must not use a motor vehicle on a road or other public place unless there is in force in relation to that use such a policy of insurance as complies with Part VI of the Act, and must not cause or permit any other person to do so (s.143(1)); a person who acts in contravention of subsection (1) is guilty of an offence (s.143(2)). A person charged with using a vehicle shall not be convicted if he proves that the vehicle did not belong to him and was not in his possession under a contract of hiring or loan, that he was using it in the course of his employment, and that he neither knew nor had reason to believe that there was no such policy in force (s.143(3)). Part VI does not apply to invalid carriages (s.143(4)). Maximum sentence on summary conviction: a fine at level 5 on the standard scale, with discretionary disqualification and obligatory endorsement of 6 to 8 points (Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Schedule 2).

In practice

This is a summary-only offence: it must be tried at the magistrates' court. Police may charge without CPS authority for summary offences. The suspect must be cautioned in accordance with Code C PACE 1984 before any questions about the offence are put to them. Interviews must be audio-recorded (Code E) or, for indictable offences, may be visually recorded (Code F).